YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) -- Only five companies in America have licenses to grow marijuana for federal research purposes -- and one of them is in York County.
Not many more colleges than that offer cannabinoid chemistry degrees -- which are, indeed, what they sound like -- and one of them is in York County.
So perhaps it seems inevitable that of course, Groff North America would partner with York College of Pennsylvania. But the truth is, leaders of the two organizations didn't realize until recently how perfect they were for each other.
The business case for 80,000 square feet of space in Red Lion for Dr. Steve Groff, founding chairman of Groff North America?
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"The cannabis wave is coming, Groff said. "We can't deny it. Seventy percent of Americans in both parties think that it should be more available."
That's also the logic behind York College's cannabinoid chemistry program.
Beyond the logic, the luck is that Groff has known Greg Foy, an analytical chemist at the college who runs the program, for decades. During a recent conversation, Foy mentioned the program. Groff had no idea.
"And so instantly we thought this should be something that we develop a plan to work together on," Groff said.
The initial focus is on internships and potential career opportunities.
"It really it totally broadens what we can do as an institution and kind of bringing this forward in a very scientific, healthy manner," Foy said.
The long-term opportunity?
"To have this type of unique thing in York County and then for us to work collectively, it's truly again a huge opportunity for students, for education, for science, for training, job creation," Groff said.
Even with varying degrees of legality for marijuana in nearly four out of five states -- medical marijuana in most, recreational in some, weed remains federally taboo for now, except for the literal handful of licenses like the one Groff has.
"There's a ton of research to be done over the next five to 10 years, and we're going to be at the center of it because we're federally legal," Groff said.
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